Group proposes using Evans Park for historic houses on university chopping block

UNR gets permission to look for buyers who are willing to move historic homes in Gateway District.
Jason Bean

Renderings show what it might look like if 11 of the 12 historic houses on Center and Ninth streets are moved to the city of Reno-owned Evans Park. The proposal envisions a collection of commercial uses for the houses.(Photo11: Provided to the RGJ, Evans Historic Park)

An anonymous group of Realtors, engineers and contractors has published a detailed proposal for relocating 11 out of 12 historic houses in the university's future Gateway District on Center and Ninth streets.

The University of Nevada, Reno has been waffling on the fate of the 12 Victorian-era houses on Center Street for two years despite recommendations and yelps from historic preservationists and the city of Reno's Historical Resources Commission.

UNR requested proposals to relocate the houses in hopes someone will haul them away so that it can build much-needed academic buildings and housing. Bidders must plan to move the houses, with preference given to anyone who wants to move multiple houses somewhere else in Washoe County.

If no one submits an adequate proposal, the university might demolish the houses instead, according to a university spokesperson. The deadline for proposals to the university is June 7.

The "Evans Historic Park" proposal, backed in part by Barber, proposes to move 11 of the houses to Evans Park two blocks to the east. Barber is consulting with an as-yet unnamed group of community members.

"Our plan doesn’t require the dismantling of the houses so they stay in one piece," said Realtor Barrie Lynn, who is also backing the project. She said moving the houses more than a mile away would require them to be cut into smaller pieces and reassembled at another site.

Barber said the project has many moving parts and is still a work in progress. Lynn said the group is trying to re-establish a nonprofit organization and a corporation to help manage the different elements of the proposal.

The group is taking public feedback and has several presentations to make in order to refine the idea before submitting it to UNR. They will present to the Historical Resources Commission May 10 before taking it to Parks and Recreation and Reno City Council later.

The project would cost $1.8 million total to build new foundations, move the houses, form an association to maintain the houses and hire people to oversee the project, according to the project outline.

Lynn said the group would start by raising $700,000 to move three houses, then use profits from their sale to pay to move the next set of houses until all 11 are moved. Lynn said it's critical that they secure 11 of the 12 from university at no cost in order for the project to work.

“We're currently seeking community-minded investors who would be expected to receive a return on investment after the first 18 months," she said.

The project also expects to raise $2.1 million profit over 15 years for city parks projects and a new preservation officer position with the city of Reno. That money would come from sale of the houses and leasing land from the city.

The concept includes converting them into mixed-use commercial for business owners who would buy the houses or rent them from investors. The group is offering deferred payments to business owners who can repair the houses and make upgrades before opening a business inside them.

Historic markers would also be installed to treat the houses as museum pieces, according to the proposal.

Evans Park is currently a two-acre grass park with a bathroom and horseshoe pits. It was deeded to the city by the Evans family. The Reno Parks Commission elected not to sell the park to UNR two years ago. The proposal wants to add value to this piece of land by giving it more uses for the public and adding to its existing history.

Renderings show what it might look like if 11 of the 12 historic houses on Center and Ninth streets are moved to the city of Reno-owned Evans Park. The proposal envisions a collection of commercial uses for the houses.(Photo11: Provided to the RGJ, Evans Historic Park)

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Historic preservationists want to keep the houses as close as possible to their current location because they say the university context is an important element of their existence. The houses are close to UNR's original school building, Morrill Hall. The houses were owned and rented by professors and students throughout the generations. Moving them away from the school renders that history less meaningful, they say.

The proposal also adds that the houses should be listed on the city's register of historic places and that the city should hire a permanent historic preservationist in the planning department to manage the park and other ongoing preservation needs in Reno.

The group is requesting volunteers to take on various elements of the cause. The group hopes to submit a completed proposal, with backers, by the university's June 7 deadline, Barber said.